Puck Yea! Hockey: A Love Letter to Community, Confidence, & Growing the Game
By Jenna Thompson, Founder of Puck Yea! Hockey
From Dream to Reality
If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be running my own women’s hockey league, I would’ve said “Yes, that’s the dream.” But if you had told me that I’d be launching Try Hockey Free programs with full gear included, hosting bilingual sessions, and spending weekends fitting brand new players into skates and helmets, I might not have seen that part coming.
What started as a passion for building a better league grew into something even bigger, a way to truly grow the game by lowering barriers and welcoming more people to the sport I love. Hockey has a funny way of pulling you in and not letting go!
The Start of Something Different
Puck Yea! Hockey was born out of a simple dream and lots of passion: to create a fun, inclusive, and welcoming space for adult women and gender-diverse players to play the sport they love (or were maybe a little intimidated to try).
We focus on low-pressure, high-fun hockey that builds skills, confidence, and friendships. No tryouts. No drama. No red tape. Just a whole lot of heart.
Our Mission
💙 Grow the game in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
💜 Create access.
💚 Build a community where every player belongs and has fun.
More Than Hockey
To me, Puck Yea! is about more than hockey. It’s about friendship. It’s about building people up. It’s about creating a place where you’re seen and a community that you truly feel a part of!
I’ve met some of my closest friends through hockey. I’ve watched strangers become teammates and then best friends. I’ve seen players show up alone, scared to skate, and leave laughing and asking when they can play again.
At Puck Yea!, we don’t just play hockey, we make it joyful, ridiculous, and unforgettable. We mic up players for game days, let wingers take faceoffs, and sometimes even let our goalies do it too. Our refs drop pucks from the tops of their helmets, chase players down with water guns, and move faceoff dots “just because.”
Players dance to the music between whistles and periods, make snow angels or dance to Pink Pony Club mid-shift, and laugh until they fall over. We host skill-building clinics, game-day walk-ins in tutus, and league events that feel more like family reunions. We’ve also had folks step up to volunteer, coach, ref, and mentor, proving over and over again that the hockey community is magic when we build it with intention!
Try Hockey Free: No Gear, No Problem
We know gear is often one of the biggest barriers to trying hockey. That’s why one of our proudest accomplishments has been launching Try Hockey Free sessions where we provide gear and coaching at no cost, to new players of all ages and backgrounds.
These sessions are offered in both English and Spanish to make sure more people can feel welcomed and seen. It’s about removing barriers and giving folks the chance to say yes to something they’ve maybe always wanted to try.
The reactions are everything. Nervous faces turn into huge smiles. People who thought hockey “wasn’t for them” realize, it totally is.
A Pond Hockey Meet-Cute
I first met the amazing crew from 3rd Line Hockey through social media. Shelly and I started chatting about ways we could partner and when I heard they were going to be at the Eagle River Pond Hockey Tournament this past February, I knew we needed to meet in person because I would be there too.
We were out there in the cold, snow falling, all bundled up, playing our hearts out on Dollar Lake, and from the first moment we chatted, I knew we were kindred spirits in how we think about this sport: not just as a game, but as a way to build something bigger and better.
I shared with them my vision for Puck Yea! and how important it was to create something visibly joyful and inclusive. Together, Shelly helped me bring my jersey dreams and vision to life, capturing the colorful, community-forward, Minnesota spirit of our league. It was a surreal and special moment to see those designs hit the ice.
To the 3rd Line Hockey team: thank you for bringing my vision to life and for seeing what we’re building.
Looking Ahead
Our goal is to keep growing. More Try Hockey Free events. More gear donations. More inclusive programming. We want to reach those who’ve never laced up before and say, “Yes, there’s a spot for you here.”
We want to keep partnering with like-minded hockey brands, community builders, and other leagues to make the game better… together!
To anyone reading this who’s thinking of starting something of their own, do it!! We need more of you in hockey.
If you’re ever in Minneapolis, come skate with us!
And if you’re not, don’t worry. Puck Yea! is just getting started. 💙💜💚 Because, this is the way hockey should be: competitive, inclusive, welcoming, supportive, and wildly fun!!
Jenna Thompson
Founder, Puck Yea! Hockey
“Where Passion, Meets the Ice”